Trigger mechanism



i 1932- J. D. POLLARD 1,839,586

TRIGGER MECHANISM Filed March 1950 y a 3 t I, 2? @i m mmllllllil mamaPatented Jan. 5, 1932 7 JOHN D. POLLARD, or CHICAGO, rumors- TRIGGERMECHANISM Application filed March 31, 1930. Serial no. 440,237. I

This invention relates to guns, and more particularly to the triggermechanism thereof. 7 It has for its principal object to improve upon thetrigger mechanism of firearms in general, but is directed moreparticularly to sporting and trap guns. 7

In .the ordinary gun lock mechanism the ham 'ner is cocked'manually, asby a special operating device or breaking the gun at the 1g jointure ofthe breech and stock, and the hammer is released, after taking aim, bypulling the trigger. In pulling the trigger to release the hammer aflinching frequently occurs, with the result that the poise is dis- '15turbed and the gun moved out of aim, which is difiicult to overcomeexcept by an expert, and is quite a disadvantage in trapshooting andother sporting uses of the gun.

The present invention has been brought about to overcome thedisadvantages of the the parts and combinations and arrangements ofparts as hereinafter described and set forth in the appended claims.

[In'the accompanying drawings, illustrating; a practical adaptation ofthe invention, Fig.- 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, with partsbroken away, of a-gun in the region of the breech and the firingmechanism;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the trigger mechanism; p Fig. 3 isa view of the trigger mechan ism in normal condition when cooperatingwith the cooked hammer; 1

' Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the action of y the trigger element in"the first stage of its operation; V p a V Fig 5 is a view showing thetrigger element fully retracted; and V p 7 'Fig. 6 is a viewshowingtheinitial action of the trigger element upon the release of the so'operators finger therefrom.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1O designates the breechportion of a gun, and 11 the'stock. The gun represented in the drawingsis of that type where the breech portion andstock are hin'ge'dlyconnected and normally held in closed condition by a releasable lockingmechanism controlled by the usual external lever member '12. In thistype of gun the hammeris cocked or set in firingcondition by what isknown as breaking the gun or, in other words, re leasing the lock andswinging the barrel with relation to the stock about the axis of thepivotal connection between the breechand the stock. In this operationthe cooking cam l3actuates a rod 14, which in turn engages a camextension 15 on the hammer member 16, which latter is thereby rockedabout its pivotal axis andcompresses a spring 17. In the cocked positionof the hammer 16 it is set inoperable relation to the firing pin 18, inwhich relationit is held by the sear or latch element 19, whose endportion 20 engages a shoulder 21 on the hammer element near the pivotalaxis thereof. Thissear or latch element 19 is pivotally mounted, as at22, and is normally pressed into engagement with the hammer element16-by-a leaf spring 23.

' Mounted in cooperative relation .to the sear 'trunnions 27 which restpivotally and slidably on the trigger plate 26 onopposite sides of theslot 25, and a portion ofthe trigger element which projects below theplate "26 has a hooked extension orfinger engaging portion 28, aboutwhich is placed the usual guard 'loop2 9. T

The rear portion of the body plate 24 of the trigger element is providedwith a seat 30 for the engagement of the endportion of a T compressionspring 31, whose opposite'end portion is inserted in a socket 32provided thereforin the adjacentvbody portion ofthe gun stock,saidsocket being preferably lined with a metallic bushing 33. This spring31,

which is constantly under compression, nor- I mally holds the triggerelement againstthe in Fig. 30f thedrawingspwardly of the trunnions 27andthe portion...

. forward end of the slot andthe portion of the body plate 24 to therearof 'the'trunnions27 in contact with the upperfac'eof the trigger plate26, as'shown more clearly Theportion of the trigger member for of thesear 19 rearward of its pivotal axis 22 cooperate in overlappingrelation to each other, the sear having a notched portion 3/1 at itslower edge which afiords clearance for a stud on the trigger element24.; In the normal position of the trigger elementthe stud tion with thehammer memberl16, whether the hammer element is in-cockedcondit-ion' ornot, the only difference being that in its cocked conditionitsshoulder21 is engaged with the end2 O of the sear or latch element 519, whereasin the fired condition the hammer element is engaged slidably with saidend portion 20 of the sear or latch element adj acent to said shoulder21. In aetuatingthe trigger element 24 the external hooked portion'28 ispressedbythe operators finger, thereby rocking the trigger member on itstrunnions 27 and bringing the forwardportion .ofthe triggerelementintocontact with r the trigger plate 26, as shown in Fig. 4, in

which. position the stud 35'is entirely out of the notch 34 and'clear ofthe loweredgep'ortion of. the sear'or latch element; 19. ,As soon as theforward portion of the trigge'r element 2A; engages the-trigger plate 26the continued.

pressure ofthe operators finger on thehook portion 28 slides thelatchelement rearwardly in the same relation to the trigger plate 26until said trigger element isar rested by the rear end of the SW25, as'shown in Fig. 5.

- In this position the'operat'or'kee'ps his finger 1n. pressingengageinent with the hook 28'untilsuch time asit-is desi red'toreleasethe hammer member 16,- prov1ded, of course, said this stage thestud-'35is' located under the rear portion 36 of the sear gorlatchelement 19. 7 As; soonas the hook 28 is relieved of the pressure of :theoperators V finger 'the c spring.

rocks the trigger element 24' on the trun- -n1ons'- 27;; therebydepressing the rear, 'p'ortion and lifting the forward'portion of saidtrigger element and bringing the stud 35 into cont-act'with' said en'd-portion-36 of-the sear forl'atch element 1-9, whereupon the latter'isportion 20 thereof 'isgmoved out of engage- 1 inent with'the shoulder2110f the hammer 7 member 16; 'Therhammeimembe'r- 16 being I jthus'released, it is quickly'sna'pped .intoen- 'gagement withthefiring pin18;.bytheacti'on' rocked aboutjits pivotal axis 22 and the end ofthespring 17 in the same manner as in the ordinary mechanism where the searis released directly by'the pull of the trigger. j Instantly .after thetrigger element 124 has been thus actuated, as-shown in Fig; 6, it is.moved forwardly by the action of the spring 30 and restoredito itsnormal position, as

- shown in Fig, 3,5the spring 23 restoring the sear or latch element 19to its normal position with its forward end portion '20 in contact withthe hammer member 16, as hereinbefore set ,forth;

By theprovision herein set 'forth in acl cordancewwiththe presentinvention it is obvious'that the hammer may be cooked and i thegunpoisedand aimedv with' the trigger r element 24 held' retracted, andas the trigger element is actuated by the spring '3l to tripthe sear orlatch element 19 and restore the f latch element toits normal position,"as here-" in s'et'iorth, obviously the gunis fired with- 1 out'flinching son the part of the user, which.

is of material advantage, particularly in I trapshootlng and otherinstances. where V quickness is reqiiired inreleasingthe hammer. V

derstood that the structuremay be modified Patent iszg 1.':.In afgun, ahammer, cocking mechanism Whilethe. construction and arrangementi hereinshown and described embodies a'pracj tical adaptation of, the invention,it is unand releasable-retainingelement,"a trigger element pivotally andslidably supported in .10 1 taining elem'ent,-.and=a' spring acting'upon V cooperative relation to said releasablej 'resaid-tri'gger'elementto yielda bly hold it in normal position and toireturn it to saidposition, said trigger element being manually in 1 71,10

retractible into operable relationwith respect to said releasableretaining-element andopg I erating to disengage said retaining elementhammerrmemb'erlfi has been cocked 'orgset 1n fir1ngpos1t1on,as shown inFig.3, and at from thecocking mechanism during theinitial part of thereturn movementof said r V trigger element when relieved ofretractivepressure thereon. f Y

- 2. In a gun, ahammen'cocking means, and

ing relation with said "sear during's'uchactuaf- 7 tion thereof, saidtriggerelement being versely rockedv during the initialipart'ofjitssprin returned actuation whereby to act uate' saidsear and release thehamrner.

users fingerthereon. and rocked out orfengag- 3. In a gun, incombination with the regular cocking means including a releasablevhammer retaining element,- a spring actuated trigger element pivotallyand slidably supported in cooperative relation to'said hammer retainingelement, said trigger element being initially rocked out of engagingrelation to said hammer retaining element during a retractive actuationthereof, and being reversely rocked during the initial part of itsreturn movement to normal position whereby to engage and actuate saidhammer retaining element to effect the release of the latter fromengagement with the hammer.

4. In a gun, cocking mechanism including a releasable hammer retainingelement, said hammer retaining element being pivotally supported incooperative relation to the harm mer and normally spring-pressed inengagement with the hammer, said hammer retaining element having arecessed under portion, and a trigger element pivotally and slidablysupported in' cooperative relation to said hammer retaining element,said trigger element having an extension located normally in saidrecessed portion of the hammer retaining element without engagementtherewith but being engageable with a portion of said element adjacentto the recess, and a spring acting upon said trigger element whereby tohold said element yieldably in normal position and to return it to thatposition, and initially rocking it during the return actuation wherebyto engage the extension thereof with said hammer retaining element torelease the hammer therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

' JOHN D. POLLARD.

